1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an image duplicating apparatus, such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine, that duplicates an image of an original on a recording paper and to a storage medium that stores a program for controlling the image duplicating apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, there are some facsimile machines having printing functions and scanner functions, and the like, in addition to ordinary facsimile functions. Those facsimile machines may be used as periphery input/output devices of personal computers. With the functions of those facsimile machines further developed, some facsimile machines have duplicating functions for duplicating images read from an original on a recording paper. The facsimile machines with the duplicating functions have two copying modes, similar to an ordinary copying machine. One is a single-copying mode where images read from an original are duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper. The other is a multi-copying mode where images read from an original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper. In such facsimile machines, either mode can be set.
In the multi-copying mode, there are provided two copying methods. One is known as a stack copying method and the other is a sort copying method. For example, when three (3) copies of one page each of the original A, B, and C (total of 3 pages) are designated and copied using the stack copying method, images are first read from the original A and those read images are consecutively duplicated on three sheets of the recording paper. Then, images are read from the original B and those read images are consecutively duplicated on three sheets of the recording paper. Images on the original C are duplicated in the same manner as described above. In other words, in the stack copying method, images on an original are read and duplicated on the required number of recording paper to produce the designated number of copies. In the stack copying method, a memory capable of storing images on at least one page, is required. When three (3) copies of one page each of the original A, B, and C (total of 3 pages) are designated and copied using the sort copying method, for example, images are first read from the original A and duplicated on one sheet of the recording paper. While the image data of the original A is stored in a memory, images are read from the next original B and duplicated on another sheet of the recording paper. Similarly, while the image data of the original B is stored in a memory, images are read from the next original C and duplicated on another sheet of the recording paper. Thus, one copy of the originals A, B, and C is produced. Thereafter, the other two (2) copies are produced in the same manner as described above, based on the stored image data of the originals A, B, and C. In this sort copying method, a memory capable of storing images on all the pages of the originals, is required.
In an ink jet type color printer, four ink colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) are used as standard ink colors when color images are formed using the printer. Some ink jet type color printers currently add two further particular ink colors of light cyan (LC) and light magenta (LM) to the standard ink colors, to produce more subtle tones and finer color graduations. Six-color ink jet type printers are adopted for facsimile machines having such as the above-described duplication functions, to make the facsimile machines more multifunctional. The image forming processing is performed for duplication while storing the duplication data according to the number of ink colors to be used for duplication, in a memory.
However, in a conventional facsimile machine having the functions of duplication using a color printer mechanism that employs the above-described six ink colors including two further particular ink colors, when duplicating is performed using more ink colors of six ink colors than the standard four ink colors, the size of the duplication data to be stored in a memory becomes larger than that of duplication data when the standard four ink colors are used for image forming processing. According to conditions during duplication, such as copying mode and color style settings, the duplication data may occupy all the data storage area in the memory. This may be a serious problem especially in the multi-copying mode where the duplication data at least for one page of the original needs to be stored in the memory. If duplication data occupies all the data storage area in the memory, units such as the CPU that controls the operations of a facsimile machine, cannot stably perform the required duplicating operations, causing problems for the other operations of the machine. To solve the above-described problem, the increase in the size of the memory will be the easiest way, however, it leads to the increase in costs. Therefore, improvements in terms of costs are also required.
One aspect of the invention is to provide an image duplicating apparatus capable of stably performing duplicating processing to be required via a memory, without increasing the size of the memory. Another aspect of the invention is to provide a storage medium that stores programs for controlling the image duplicating apparatus.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an image duplicating apparatus capable of forming images in a standard color style using standard ink colors or in a fine color style using more ink colors than the standard ink colors when images read from an original are duplicated on a recording paper. The image duplicating apparatus includes a setting copying mode determination device that determines whether the single-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper, or the multi-copying mode, where images read from the original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper, is set, and a duplicating operation controlling device that starts duplicating in the fine color style when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the single-copying mode is set, and that starts duplicating in the standard color style when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the multi-copying mode is set.
In the image duplicating apparatus, duplicating in the single-copying mode where images read from the original may be duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper, is started in the fine color style wherein the amount of duplication data to be processed becomes greater than when it is processed using the standard ink colors, and duplicating in the multi-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper, is started in the standard color style wherein the duplication data is processed using the standard ink colors. Therefore, the duplication data processed in each copying mode is optimized so that all the duplication data can be stored in the memory. Especially, the number of ink colors to be used is limited to the standard ink colors in the multi-copying mode, so that the size of the duplication data can be minimized. Consequently, the space in the memory occupied by the duplication data is reduced as much as possible. The duplicating operations in each copying mode can be stably performed, without increasing the memory size and its costs.
The image duplicating apparatus may further include a color style setting device that presets which of the standard or fine color styles is to be used for duplication, wherein when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the multi-copying mode is set, the duplicating operation controlling device starts duplicating in the standard color style regardless of the color style set by the color style setting device, and when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the single-copying mode is set, the duplicating operation controlling device starts duplicating in the color style set by the color style setting device.
Since the color style that the user sets is used for duplicating in the single-copying mode, the duplication quality that meets the user""s needs will be produced. Even when the fine color style is set for the multi-copying mode, the color style is forcibly changed to the standard color style, so that the size of the duplication data can be minimized. Therefore, all the spaces in the memory will not be occupied by the duplication data, and the duplicating processing can be stably performed in the multi-copying mode.
In an image duplicating apparatus capable of forming images in a standard color style using standard ink colors or in a fine color style using more ink colors than the standard ink colors when images read from an original are duplicated on a recording paper, included are a setting copying mode determination device that determines which of the single-copying mode or the multi-copying mode is set, and a duplicating operation controlling device that reduces the resolution of a duplication data from the normal setting resolution and starts duplicating in the fine color style based on the duplication data obtained at a lower resolution when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the multi-copying mode is set.
Even when duplicating in the multi-copying mode is performed in the fine color style, the resolution of the duplication data is reduced from that of duplication data obtained by the images read at the normal setting resolution. Therefore, the size of the duplication data can be minimized by reducing resolution of the duplication data, and the situation that all the spaces in the memory are occupied by the duplication data, can be prevented. Consequently, the duplicating operations wherein the great amount of the duplication data is required to be processed via the memory, can be stably performed, without increasing the memory size and its costs.
The image duplicating apparatus may further include a color style setting device that presets which of the standard or fine color styles is used for duplication, wherein when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the multi-copying mode is set and the color style setting device sets the fine color style, the duplicating operation controlling device reduces the resolution of the duplication data from that set for duplicating in the standard color style, and starts duplicating in the fine color style based on the duplication data obtained at a lower resolution.
Since duplicating is performed based on the color style that the user sets, the duplication quality that meets the user""s needs will be produced. Even when the user sets the fine color style in the multi-copying mode, the resolution of the duplication data is automatically reduced, so that the size of the duplication data will be minimized. Therefore, all the spaces in the memory will not be occupied by the duplication data, and the duplicating processing can be stably performed in the multi-copying mode based on the color style set by the user.
In the image duplicating apparatus, when the setting copying mode determination device determines that the multi-copying mode is set, duplicating either in the standard color style, or in the fine color style by reducing the resolution of a duplication data from the normal setting resolution and based on the duplication data obtained at a lower resolution, can be selected.
Since duplicating in the multi-copying mode may be performed by selecting either the standard color style wherein the number of colors to be used is limited though the image quality is preferred, or the fine color style for which images are read at a resolution lower than the normal setting though the color tone is preferred, a user can obtain the designated number of copies in the multi-copying mode by selecting which of the image quality or the color tone is preferred.
An image duplicating apparatus capable of forming images in a standard color style using standard ink colors or in a fine color style using more ink colors than the standard ink colors when images read from an original are duplicated on a recording paper, may include an available memory calculation device that calculates the amount of free space available in a memory, an available memory comparison device that compares the amount of free space available in the memory obtained by the available memory calculation device, with the predetermined value, and a duplicating operation controlling device that avoids duplicating in the fine color style and starts duplicating in the standard color style when the available memory comparison device produces the result that the amount of free space available in the memory is below the predetermined value.
Since duplicating is performed not in the fine color style but in the standard color style when the free space available in the memory do not exceed the predetermined value, the situation that the memory cannot store all the duplication data due to the small amount of free space available in the memory, can be prevented. Consequently, the duplicating operations required via the memory can be stably performed, without increasing the memory size and its costs.
For such image duplicating, a color style setting device that presets which of the standard or fine color styles is used for duplication, is provided. When the available memory comparison device produces the result that the amount of free space available in the memory is below the predetermined value, the duplicating operation controlling device starts duplicating in the color style set by the color style setting device if the setting copying mode determination device determines that the single-copying mode is set.
Even when the free space available in the memory is below the predetermined value, duplicating in the single-copying mode is performed in the color style set by the color style setting device. Therefore, the duplication quality that meets the user""s needs will be produced. When the free space available in the memory do not exceed the predetermined value, duplicating in the multi-copying mode is performed by forcibly selecting the standard color even when the fine color style is set. Therefore, all the spaces in the memory will not be occupied by the duplication data, and the duplicating processing can be stably performed in the multi-copying mode.
According to the another aspect of the invention, there is provided an storage medium that stores programs for controlling an image duplicating apparatus capable of forming images in a standard color style using standard ink colors or in a fine color style using more ink colors than the standard ink colors when images read from an original are duplicated on a recording paper. The storage medium include a setting copying mode determination program for determining which of the single-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper, or the multi-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper, is set, and a duplicating operation controlling program for starting duplicating in the fine color style when it is determined based on the setting copying mode determination program that the single-copying mode is set, and for starting duplicating in the standard color style when it is determined based on the setting copying mode determination program that the multi-copying mode is set.
By activating the CPU based on the stored program, achieved is the operations of an image duplicating apparatus, such as starting duplicating in the fine color style when it is determined that the single-copying mode is set, and starting duplicating in the standard color style when it is determined that the multi-copying mode is set.
An storage medium may include a setting copying mode determination program for determining which of the single-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on a sheet of the recording paper, or the multi-copying mode where images read from the original are duplicated on the sheets of the recording paper, is set, and a duplicating operation controlling program for reducing the resolution of a duplication data from the normal setting resolution when it is determined based on the setting copying mode determination program that the multi-copying mode is set and starting duplicating in the fine color style.
Also, by activating the CPU based on the stored program, achieved is the operations of an image duplicating apparatus, such as reducing the resolution of a duplication data from the normal setting resolution when it is determined that the multi-copying mode is set and starting duplicating in the fine color style.
An storage medium also may include an available memory calculation program for calculating the amount of free space available in a memory, an available memory comparison program for comparing the amount of free space available in the memory obtained by the calculation based on the available memory calculation program, with the predetermined value, and a duplicating operation controlling program for avoiding duplicating in the fine color style and starting duplicating in the standard color style when the result that the amount of free space available in the memory is below the predetermined value, is obtained based on the available memory comparison program.
Further, by activating the CPU based on the stored program, achieved is the operations of an image duplicating apparatus, such as avoiding duplicating in the fine color style and starting duplicating in the standard color style when the amount of free space available in the memory is below the predetermined value.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of forming images onto a recording paper using standard ink colors or using more ink colors than the standard ink colors and capable of processing image data for the image forming processing. The image forming apparatus may include a using an ink color detecting device that detects which of the standard ink colors or more ink colors than the standard ink colors, are to be used, and an image data preparing device that prepares an image data based on the standard color designation conditions suitable for the standard ink colors when the ink color use detecting device detects that the standard ink colors are to be used, and that prepares the image data based on the fine color designation conditions suitable for more ink colors than the standard ink colors when the ink color use detecting device detects that more ink colors than the standard ink colors are to be used.
In the image forming apparatus of the invention, when images are formed using the standard ink colors, image data is prepared based on the standard color designation conditions. On the other hand, when the images are formed using more ink colors than the standard ink colors, the image data is prepared based on the fine color designation conditions. Since the designation conditions are changed according to the number of ink colors to be used and the image forming processing is performed using the image data optimized according to the respective designation conditions suitable for the respective ink colors, the high image quality output is produced according to the number of ink colors to be used, without requiring any complicated processing.
When the image data preparing device prepares the image data based on the standard color designation conditions or the fine color designation conditions, the color tone correction processing designated according to the respective color designation conditions, is performed for the image data.
The color tone correction processing, for example, with respect to the gamma correction, contrast, and brightness, is performed for the image data according to the number of ink colors to be used, when the image data is prepared based on the respective color designation conditions. Therefore, the image forming processing is performed using the image data optimized according to the number of ink colors to be used with respect to the color tones, resulting in the superior quality output mainly as to color tones.
When the image data preparing device prepares the image data based on the standard color designation conditions or the fine color designation conditions, the image data is generated, corresponding to the image quality levels designated according to the respective color designation conditions.
Since the image data is generated, corresponding to the image quality levels designated according to the number of ink colors to be used when the image data is prepared based on the respective color designation conditions, the image forming processing is performed using the image data optimized according to the number of ink colors to be used with respect to the image quality levels, such as the input resolution and the output resolution, resulting in the superior quality output mainly as to image quality.
The image forming apparatus may further include an image input device that reads images from an original to obtain the image data. The image data preparing device reads the image data from the image input device and applies the respective color designation conditions to generate the image data according to the number of ink colors to be used.
Since the images can be formed onto a recording paper based on the image data obtained by reading the images from the original, this may be applied when a facsimile machine having copying functions, for example, is used stand-alone.
The image forming apparatus may further include an interface capable of receiving the image data from an external apparatus. The image data preparing device receives the image data from the external apparatus via the interface and applies the respective color designation conditions to generate the image data according to the number of ink colors to be used.
Since the images can be formed onto a recording paper based on the image data received from an external apparatus, this may be applied to a printer being used as the periphery equipment of a general personal computer, and a video printer that is connected to a television or a video camera.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an storage medium that stores programs for controlling an image forming apparatus capable of forming images onto a recording paper using standard ink colors or using more ink colors than the standard ink colors and capable of processing image data for the image forming processing. The storage medium may include a ink color use detecting program for detecting which of the standard ink colors or more ink colors than the standard ink colors, are to be used, and an image data preparing program for preparing an image data based on the standard color designation conditions suitable for the standard ink colors when it is detected based on the ink color use detecting program that the standard ink colors are to be used, and for preparing the image data based on the fine color designation conditions suitable for more ink colors than the standard ink colors when it is detected based on the ink color use detecting program, that more ink colors than the standard ink colors are to be used.
In above-described storage medium, by activating the CPU based on the stored program, achieved is the operations of the image forming apparatus, such as a detecting device that detects which of the standard ink colors or more ink colors than the standard ink colors, are to be used, and preparing image data based on the standard color designation conditions suitable for the standard ink colors when the ink color use detecting device detects that the standard ink colors are to be used, and preparing the image data based on the fine color designation conditions suitable for more ink colors than the standard ink colors when the ink color use detecting device detects that more ink colors than the standard ink colors are to be used.
Further objects, details, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the drawings.